llowers from trouble; this is no part of the promise.
Nay, the contrary is rather stipulated: 'In the world ye shall have
tribulation.' But if it has not taught me to escape sorrow, I humbly
hope it has taught me how to bear it. If it has taught me not to
feel, it has taught me not to murmur. I will tell you a little of
my story: as my father could save little or nothing for me, he was
desirous of seeing me married to a young gentleman in the
neighborhood, who expressed a regard for me. But while he was
anxiously engaged in bringing this about, my good father died."

"How very unlucky," interrupted Betty.

"No, Betty," replied Mrs. Simpson, "it was very providential; this
man, though he maintained a decent character, had a good fortune,
and lived soberly, yet he would not have made me happy." "Why, what
could you want more of a man?" said Betty. "Religion," returned Mrs.
Simpson. "As my father made a creditable appearance, and was very
charitable; and as I was an only child, this gentleman concluded
that he could give me a considerable fortune; for he did not know
that all the poor in his parish are the children of every pious
clergyman. Finding I had little or nothing left me, he withdrew his
attentions." "What a sad thing!" cried Betty. "No, it was all for
the best; Providence overruled his covetousness for my good. I could
not have been happy with a man whose soul was set on the perishable
things of this world; nor did I esteem him, though I labored to
submit my own inclinations to those of my kind father. The very
circumstance of being left penniless produced the direct contrary
effect on Mr. Simpson: he was a sensible young man, engaged in a
prosperous business. We had long highly valued each other; but while
my father lived, he thought me above his hopes. We were married; I
found him an amiable, industrious, good-tempered man; he respected
religion and religious people; but with excellent dispositions, I
had the grief to find him less pious than I had hoped. He was
ambitious, and a little too much immersed in worldly schemes; and
though I knew it was all done for my sake, yet that did not blind me
so far as to make me think it right. He attached himself so eagerly
to business, that he thought every hour lost in which he was not
doing something that would tend to raise me to what he called my
proper rank. The more prosperous he grew the less religious he
became: and I began to find that one might be unhappy with